


The Shadowhunter' Spell

by AgentofAlicante



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Action & Romance, Blood, F/M, London Institute, New Shadowhunter, Shadowhunter Training, Warlock Marks (Shadowhunter Chronicles), circle member
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-28
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2019-02-08 00:20:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 16,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12852675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentofAlicante/pseuds/AgentofAlicante
Summary: If we hear the name Sebastian Verlac, the first thing that comes to our mind is the imposter Jonathan Morgenstern. The only thing we really know about him is the action of Jonathan Morgenstern. The little bits of Sebastian Verlac we see is just what Jonathan Morgenstern trying to replicate. He was never a legend nor a hero. No one really know about him before his disappearance for a year. The only true things about him is that, he is a cousin of Aline Penhallow and a Shadowhunter from the London Institute.So what if someone more than a friend but less than a parabatai could actually tell you her days with Sebastian Verlac up to his mysterious disappearance





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> No demons are killed during the process of writing

The night was still young and the wind spun around making their way through the trees. If you inverted your sight to the trees, you could see something moving through it. Just a glimpse that would disappear the next second. You thought that its just the shadows playing with your eyes but oh no…...... it is not.

 And my mistake was to be so immersed on it that I didn’t see the man in front of me. That was at least until I bumped into him. I was knocked by the force and fell to the stony pavement in front of a flashing neon light which spelled ‘Pandemonium’.

 “Oops, watch where you are going, sweetheart.” He said and walked away with an air of proudness. I stared at him before shaking my head trying to pin point what’s odd about him. Just like that the words flew out of my mouth.

 “Hey, are you mutant or something?” I pulled my self up and walked over to him who the moment I spoke, was frozen to the ground.

 “Excuse me?” he smiled nervously.

 “Your eyes. I would believe its contacts but eh, it widens side ways. So…..”

 In a whole second, a purple vortex like thing appeared on the wall beside us, and I was sucked into it before I knew it. The swirling motioned stopped and I landed on a carpeted floor.

 “Don’t roam around. Stay there.” The guy disappeared into a dim lighted hallway, I picked myself up, adjusting my backpack. The room, which I guess is a sitting room, looks to be decorated in a mix of modernisation and Victorian era. The furniture was all modern, simple and new. But the wood work, the walls, tapestry and the carpets look like had been stolen from every part of the world, a century ago. Or two.

 “Surprise surprise, this is the first time someone actually listen to me.”

 I whirled around and saw him standing near the a piece of Roman statue with a glass of pink cocktail on his hand. “Yeah I have no idea where I am, could be an alternate universe with a mugger in every corner.” I eyed him carefully as he sat down crossed leg, relaxed.

 “Close. Brooklyn.” He smirked and took a sip. “Tell me, how did you see my eyes?”

 “With mine.” I gave him the ‘well-duh’ look.

 “Are you a newly turned?”

 “Newly turned what?”

 He was now the one who gave me the annoyed look. Its almost like he expects me to know what he was talking about. “Shadowhunters.”

 “Shadow what now?”

 “Oh lord, now I have to this the hard way.” He stood up and made his way to me. Before I could bat my hands on his face or something, he placed both of his palms on my temples and the last thing I heard is my own gasp.

 

* * *

 

 I opened my eyes and found myself standing in the middle of a room with a glowing sword on my right hand. The sword made a soft humming sound as I moved it slowly. It felt comfortable and familiar in my hand. I felt the urge to glance to the side. A large cracked mirror stood beside me. And through the eerie mist, I could still make out my strange appearance. Strange because the last time I remember, I didn’t wear a skin thigh black jeans, zipped up black leather jacket and a high-heeled boots.

 “In case you are wondering, you are in your deep consciousness.”

 I raised my sword to the direction of the voice but it only slashed thin air. The mist cleared out a little making me able to make out the faded black words on the mirror. ‘All the stories are true’. A blinding light appeared slowly through the mist clearing it out. In the middle of the room, a strange symbol float like a hologram. I stared at it in awe for a few seconds before the voice came back.

  “That is who you are, a Shadowhunter. The demon slayer. Protector of the human kind. When you are ready, the rune in front of you will be a part of your soul. This is your destiny.”

 Oddly, that symbol which apparently called rune, didn’t give me any sense of familiarity to me. Before I could muster up a question, the voice spoke up again. But now suddenly a blue flame replaced the rune. It grew large and surrounded me in a circle.

 “Magic. The power that flow through your body. A Warlock could not be parted from their magic just as a Shadowhunter could not be parted form their angelic blood. And you,” the voice paused, “you could not be parted from both.”

 I cocked my head to the side, “So what, I’m a Shadowhunter and a Warlock ? Even though I still have no idea what the hell those are.”

 “Oh boy,” the voice suddenly said and I finally recognized it as the cat eye guy. “Let’s discuss this in a more comfortable way.”

 The room faded, like its blended into each other, blurring. At first, I felt a tiny force pulling me back from the spot I was rooted to. The sword in my hand disappeared dissolving into the mist. I fought back a little against the force but it only made it stronger. Suddenly a hand wrapped around my wrist jerking me back and forcing me to jump right into the blinding light.

 

* * *

 

 My eyes snapped open just as he removed his hands from my head. I stumbled back a few steps before the back of my knees bumped the love seat behind me. Feeling drained of energy, I sunk down into the seat among the cushions. I placed my bag on the floor. The guy sat across me on throne like chair, his finger stirring the pale pink liquid inside his glass.

 “My name is Magnus Bane,” he said and then took a sip. “I am the High Warlock of Brooklyn.”

 “Too short for New York?”

 I must admit that sometimes my mouth doesn’t know when its best to just shut up. It could get me out of trouble sometimes but its not countable either how many times it got me into trouble. Surprisingly he smirked, relief to my worries. “Hmm, you have an attitude, I like it.” He said, causing me to match the smirk on his face.

 “As much as I love to have a lovely chit chat, we unfortunately still have an urgent business to tend to.” He waved his hand disappearing his glass from his hand. Then he stood up, approaching me slowly. I sunk back a little into the cushion adding at least some more space between us.

 So sudden, he changed his course towards a pile of books stacked on a mahogany table across the room. He took up one that looks old enough to be displayed in the museum’ Ancient History section. I watched curiously as he flipped through the pages, eyes moving scanning through the pages. He suddenly stopped on the middle of a page. He raised his right hand, and started chanting some phrases in Latin (I think). Blue flames started to formed out of his fingertips.

 I cringed back hopping the cushion somehow would swallow me in. That moment I regret that I should have taken Latin rather than French. At least I could know what curse he was sending me. After a few mere moments, I popped one eye opened, not even realizing I had closed it. Certain that I haven’t turned into an eight-legged horse (I have a thing for mythology), I opened my eyes.

 “Are you done?” he asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice. I glared at him in return, finally gaining my bravery back.

 “So now what, are you going to erase my memory and let me think that its all just my imagination, again?”

 “Again?”

 “Well, all those things I ever saw they couldn’t be real, could they? Werewolves, vampires, fairies, guy with cat eyes.”

 He scoffed and with a flicked of his hands blue smoke started to surround me.

 “Oh, all the stories are true, sweetheart.”

 And that was the last thing I heard before all went dark


	2. Chapter 2

My name is Natalia Amelia Starknight. You see, I wasn’t suppose to be here. I was not even suppose to be born. One thing that you must know about me is that, I’m a Shadowhunter……and a Warlock. At the same time. In the whole course of Shadowhunter’s history, a Shadowhunter and a Warlock could never conceive a child. That’s true at least until I break it.

 My instructor in the institute said that Shadowhunter and Warlock (or any Downworlder) could never produce a child because the angel blood and the demon blood will collide with one another. If my legal guardian hasn’t softly threat the institute, I would have been a lab rat. But when one is owing the High Warlock of Brooklyn, who could say no, right ?

 I’m not trained in the institute my whole life. In fact, I just started three years ago. Before the institute I have been wondering if I see what I saw and not just hallucinating it. During my younger years, which was before middle school, people thought that it all were just child imagination. But it went out even as I started high school. That was when my foster parent decided I am nuts and should go meet shrinks. No matter how much medications I took, they never go.

 And three years ago, the truth hit me on the face. One, I’m not nuts (yeay!). Two, I’m a hybrid of human-angel-human-demon. Three, the High Warlock of Brooklyn knows me and is now my legal guardian (because my mother was his best friend) which is a big deal. The High Warlock of Brooklyn a.k.a the fabulous Magnus Bane, never know of my existence before. No I didn’t discover my history in an ancient dusty book. Neither did I got rescued from demons.

 I was just being my curious-self. It was a quite warm night and I was walking down the street back from one of my appointment with my shrink. I passed a nightclub and I suddenly bumped into him. Apologize wasn’t the first word that came out of my mouth. But I asked why his eyes are like cat’s. And that’s how I know I wasn’t suppose to see it, if I was just human. He performed this memory penetrating spell and all my past spilled out.

 Now I trained in the London Institute because Magnus said the New York one is too over-rated. I am also bonded to Magnus. He felt the need of watching over me so much that he has to know what I am feeling, am I in danger, etc.

 Living with Magnus is like living with a sarcastic, fun, funny, dangerous, father/brother/best-friend. Nevertheless, even-though I’m more of a Shadowhunter, he always gets my back and I will always trust him.


	3. Chapter 3

 

_I hereby swear:_

 

_I will be Raziel’s Sword, extending his arm to strike down evil._ __

_I will be Raziel’s Cup, offering my blood to our mission._ __

_I will be Raziel’s Mirror; when my enemies behold me, let them see his face in mine._

_I hereby promise:_

_I will serve with the angels’ courage._

_I will serve the angels’ justice._

_And I will serve with the angels’ mercy._

_Until such time as I shall die, I will be Nephilim. I pledge myself in Covenant as a Nephilim, and I pledge my life and my family to the Clave of Idris._

_The Silent Brother leading my ceremony, took a stele from the folds of his robe. He placed the tip onto the base of my throat. I closed my eyes prepared for the icy burn sensation of the mark. Frowning, I heard a thumping sound and—_

_Amelia….._

_My name. Is the Silent Brother talking to me?_

_Wake up…_

_Wait what?_

_The voice keeps growing strong, booming like a thunder crackling through the howling of the storm._

_Amelia wake up!_

_And I jerked my eyes open_

 

* * *

 

 

“Amelia wake up!”

 I jerk awake and bump my head into something solid above me. Sharp pain shot across my head and I blink slowly trying to clear my vision.

 “Jesus, Magnus what are you doing?” I slung my feet out of the bed and stand up. I glare at Magnus who is standing in front of me in his sparkly periwinkle coat. “Did you just get back?”

 “Yes I just got back. I didn’t know two drunk vampires could give you a throbbing headache.” Magnus said, already moving towards the kitchen, no doubly to mix up some morning cocktails he needed.

 I drag my feet across the floor, stumbling to the kitchen. I walk to the right at the end of the hallway but realizing the room has changed I change my course to the left. Yes, the room changed. No, not with renovation. Magnus changes his house floor plan like he changes his clothes. Which is definitely saying something.

 “French toast for you and cocktail for me.” The moment I sit down; a plate of French toast is slide across the counter. I eye the at least 4-inch tall stack of French toast, poking it with a knife seeing if its real or just another illusion prank he played.

 “You do realize that the institute feed me, right?” I cut a piece and took a bite. Realizing that something in the taste didn’t fit, I snap my fingers and a can of whip cream appears. As I whipped a tiny mountain of whip cream on my toast, Magnus stares at it as if I am eating a blob of demon’s gut.

“What?” I said between my bites. “You drink cocktails in the morning, I eat my toast with whip cream.”

“French toast, not just toast.”

I shrug and finish my food in silence. After sending the plate into the dishwasher (an addition Magnus made every-time I’m back) I nearly portal-ed into my room when I catch Magnus’s gaze that is fixed to the spot just below my right ear. I sigh, knowing what he’s going to ask. After all, he always had that look every-time I had a new rune.

“Enhance hearing,” I tap the small rune, “I had to eavesdrop an illegal blood dealing last night.”

 “At least we have something in common.”

 “What?”

 “Our night was occupied with the night children.”

 I snort and activate my glamour rune just to annoy him. The face I choose is of course his. Mockingly I said, “Good job Amelia. You did a great job as a new Shadowhunter.” Then I de-glamourize, answering to my own previous statement.

 “Wow, thank you Magnus, I really appreciate that.” I put my hands on my heart in a ‘im-touched’ gesture. I grin and turn back towards the hallway but his next sentence stops me.

 “One more thing cupcake, your room is a mess,” he said dramatically putting pressure on the word ‘mess’. I slowly turn around and stalk back to where he sits on the platinum white polished counter.

 “My room is a mess?! What about your house?!” my voice climbs up an octave which only amuse him somehow. “And don’t give me that easier to find things crap.”

 “Amelia, your room is full of things that could actually kill us.”

 I look down and murmur an apology. He hurriedly walks to me and pats my back slowly. “Its okay Amelia.” Then, a grin appears on his face, “But really cupcake, how many seraph blades does a Shadowhunter need, and I thought you only have one stele. Burning paper is clearly not what I want when I write a bill for my service.”

 I laugh and shut my bedroom door tuning down his rambling voice. Suddenly as I rummage around my room to collect all my weapons, I feel a sudden shift. Not a shift like earth-quake but a shift like someone is moving the room. Wait, moving the room. I gasp, right as the slow shifting stop, quickly I throw the door open. My eyes widen as I take the in the sight in front of me.

 Before what outside of my room was the living room, but now it’s a long long long very long hallway. “Magnus!!!!!!” My scream echoes and the soft sound of his laughter follows after.

 

* * *

 

“Extra stele goes here, witchlight here and I’m done.”

 As my last spell dies down, I flop down my bed and summon myself a glass of beer. I’m 18 but the drinking age in Idris is 15. I glance around trying to find things to do. Training is out of question and I can’t just run around hunting rogue downworlders, because that will make me a rogue shadowhunter. Finally, I grab my laptop and glamour my runes and seraph blade, and grab a backpack.

 “Magnus! I’m going to find some wi-fi okay! There are a lot of films and series I need to catch up with.” I yell as I walk through the winding hallway. I frowned at the silent answer I received. Silence is the rarest thing to be found in this household. My glamour vanishes and I raised my seraph blade. Putting my bag down, I raised my blade and literally barge into the room.

 My battle cry died down before it even had the chance to escape. “What in the name of the world, are you doing?!” Magnus voice spread around from the blood red arm chair at the center of the room. The group of vampires who had been barring their fangs and the pack of werewolves growling at me ceased down as the party host make his way through the crowd.

 “I thought something is wrong!” I sheath my seraph blade and take a second to see the people around. Female vampires hanging around in a small circle sipping on a wine glass that I’m hundred percent sure doesn’t contain red wine. While the males are somehow involved in a arm wrestling competition with the werewolves. This is no doubly one of the (unnecessary) party Magnus throws whenever he wants.

 “Why are you even having a silent party?”

 “Amelia, you might want to take a look again on the book about soundproof spell.” And to complete his suggestion, he conjure up a very thick purple book with ‘Magic casting for dummies’ written on its cover in bright green bold text. He smirks, I give him an unamused look.

 “Fine alright I am over-reacting, but next time at least leave some noise so I know what’s going on.” I turned back towards the door but he catches my arm.

 “No no no, enjoy the party, I’ll put up the wi-fi for you. Just sit here, have a drink, mingle around.” With a flick of his wrist, a wooden chair slid across the room and bumped into the back of my knees, forcing me to sink down onto it, next a glass of week beer appeared on my waiting hand. Upon seeing it, I quickly switch it with the martini Magnus is holding. He scowls but goes back to his party anyway.

 Nervously I gulp down my drink, the stare people are giving really burned into me. I could glamour my runes but in doing so they would think I’m scared or worse, ashamed. So I chuck down the entire glass and attempt to slip out of the room before anyone notice. Key note, attempt.

 Before I could even get the door open, Magnus stands on a table at the middle of the room tapping his glass to gain attention of the whole room. “For those of you who had no idea, who is that Shadowhunter barging into the room but not killing anyone. That is my girl.”

 One of the oldest looking vampire smirked, “With a girl now, Magnus? And a Shadowhuter?” he sneered followed by his friends.

 Rolling his eyes, Magnus throws out an answer that cause the vampire to be teased by his friends. “Stan, I think you need to get laid, soon.” He scoffed then continues, “And no, I’m his guardian. She is a warlock.”

Everyone in the room who never know about my existence turned their head around starring at me. I wiggle my fingers and blue sparks shoot out from the tips. “Hey.” I said, to loud for my liking.

 “If you want to know more about her, ask the person.” Magnus goes directly to the bar, leaving me the center of the room ogling eyes.

 “So, you are that WarHunter,” a petite Asian vampire girl chipped in from among the group of ‘curious spectators’.

 “I prefer ShadowLock or more over WarShadow. WarHunter makes me feel like I’m a seeking trouble all time.”

 “You do.” Magnus said while innocently mix up some drink. I glare at him for a mere second before going back to the still waiting onlookers.

 “I’m a Shadowhunter, yes. But I’m also a Warlock. We did try to keep it a secret but I think the word really do travel fast in the Downworld. I mean, is there an online chat app that I don’t know of? I also won’t kill you at sight because I’m also a downworlder right, unless you happen to be breaking the accords”

 “So you a downworlder, I’m a downworlder. Go out with me?” Quinn, one of the regulars in Magnus’ party, who is currently very very drunk right now piped in. Lily, another regulars of the parties slap the back of his head lightly. When they finally change their attention away from me, I push my way towards Magnus who is still fiddling around the bar.

 “Rough night?”

 “Yeah. Give me your best.”

 “You know Amelia, one of this days you are going to end up with one of them.”

 “One of what?” I peer over the counter and snatched a mixed up cocktail.

 “Downworlders. Although I recommend the vampires more than the werewolves,” he stops frowning like he is thinking about something. “Unless you have a thing for guys old enough to be your father.”

 “The vampires are old enough to be my ancestors.”

 “You know I was talking about the,” he waves his hand pointing his face. I nod and sip on my drink, chuckling softly.

 “Love doesn’t have to be about looks,” I pause, “and sex. It could be about care, protection and the feeling of being happy and comfortable around each other.” Magnus’ drink stop mid swing. He eyes me warily before smoothly making his way through the crowds. I smirk at his retreating figure before glancing to a black suited man leaning on the bar counter.

 I circle the counter and bend over to snatch a blood bag containing thick white creamy liquid. “Plasma?” I over it to him in a shot glass. He looks up from his current activity of nursing the counter smooth surface.

 “I’ll pass.”

 “What?” I raise my eyebrows giving him a quizzical look. “It’s the last drop, you sure?”

 His gaze averts towards the wild group of vampires, especially the girls. “I need to make sure no one is making a fool out of our clan.”

 “Ahh..” I smirked, “Where is Camille?”

 “Our leader is out of town, so the huge responsibilities fall on me.”

 “Okay… Mr Second in Command. I’m going to leave it here in case you need it.” I place the glass before him and sneak back out of the room.

 

* * *

 

I look up from my laptop as the last of the party died down. Magnus’ light steps bounce on the dark platinum floor lining the hallway towards my room. Hastily, I deliver a blow to the room causing a brisk wind gush all over it. What once had been a properly packed bag, now lay clustered all over the floor.

 My door creak open and I peer up from the codex that I summoned at the last second. He had discarded his jacket and roll up the sleeves. “I see the Storm decided to crash for a bit.” He pauses, eyes scanning around. “Did she bring the blue hairy beast along?”

 “Wow, you are learning.” I flash him a sarcastic proud smile.

 “Hardly to ignore when you ramble about it over dinner.”

 Silence crept in as an unwanted guess before Magnus kick it out of the door. “I saw you chat up with Raphael.”

 “Brooding guy in all black suit?”

 “The one and only,” he sinks into the edge of the mattress. “I am amazed that you don’t know who is he. Especially when Shadowhunter are supposed to know everything.”

 “Magnus.” I glare at him, fighting not to chuck the codex at his head.

 “Sorry, sorry. But you should know that he is single.”

 “He is ace.”

 “So? You said relationship doesn’t have to be about sex.”

 I groan and jump up from the bed to start collecting my things. “I have a boyfriend.”

 He rolls his eyes, “That blonde English guy that always have an excuse to touch you?”

“Urgghh Magnusssss.” I seize him by his arm and push him out effortlessly.

Before retreating to have a drink or whatever he does before bed, he stops abruptly and turns back around. “Going in the morning?”.

 I nod. “Wake me up for the portal okay.” He said. “Goodnight cupcake.”

 I lean to the door before closing it gently

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

I zip open and close my bag, checking it for like the hundred times now. Ever since this morning, Magnus has been trying to smuggle in some kind of magical trinkets that have a quite amount of demonic traits in it. The ward will set off. The minute I step inside the institute. That is what I have been telling him but I think it only pass over his head.

 “Amelia are you up?”

 “Yes, get ready with the portal. They expect me in five!” I shout over not knowing where exactly he is.

 “Do you mind if I come?” he asks as soon as I round the corner into the sitting room.

 I nod dejectedly. Saying no will not even do anything with this Warlock. “Sweet,” he said, an excited smile dancing on his face. “Come, we are doing it outside.”

 With a single snap the double glass door pulled open. Making portals outside in the mundane world is a tiny little violation against the law. But Magnus once said that the loft is surrounded by powerful wards. As soon as he finds the clearest area in the balcony (clearest means no cat sleeping around) his hands move in circular motion then his palm slam forward and a spinning golden vortex appear.

 I step into it and after a few seconds, a pair of long arms enfold me. “Hey,” the owner of the arms whispers to my hair. I detach myself to take a step back when an irritated voice comes from the closing portal.

 “Young love, a day feels like a decade.”

 “Magnus.” I groan but snuggle more into the blonde, Englishman, Shadowhunter I call my boyfriend. An awkward silence falls between us, only smiles exchange. As if she can read the situation, our head of institute, Victoria Rosewood, call Sebastian to his office for briefing of the upcoming mission.

 “I see your boyfriend still in one piece.” Magnus said, glaring at the back of Seb’s retreating figure. “Do you want me to stay or leave?”

 I scratch the back of my neck, confuse of which option should I choose. “I have a mission in three hours so….” I smile at him innocently. He rolls his eyes but gives me a pat in the back anyway. “Bye,” waving him away before the portal close with a gush of wind.

 

* * *

 

After putting my belongings back in my room (actually pretty much just flinging my bag inside), I stroll towards the west wing of the institute where all the important aspects (read:  room) located. Including the Head of Institute’ office. If making random portals does not violate the law, I would have done it a minute before.

 I jog faster as I spot blond hair at the end of the hallway. “Sebastian!” I shout, causing him and a few other heads to turn. Sebastian Verlac, one of the Shadowhunter who despised me when I first showed up. That was until I threatened to grow spikes on his _valuable item_. But as Magnus had said, its my Warlock’s mark that charmed him. Either way we found ourselves together.

 “You should probably gear up now.”

 I feel my smile slowly disappear. “Why?” standing closer to him, I peer over his shoulder. Lay out on the table before us are the details needed for our upcoming mission. “Behemoth?” I frown, pulling the report closer, “but I thought the reports are unclear.”

 “They were,” he pulls out a piece of footage, “until this morning the cops found a locked store bare with no sign of force entry. And our demon alarm is pulsing on that area too. No fingerprints, nothing. No sign of mundane evidence.”

 “Mundane robbery is never like this. They took money, food, alcohols, some knick knacks here and there, yes. But the whole store like literally all including the racks and all, no. Robbers would never want to go through the pain of renting a moving truck.” I chuckle, throwing down the pictures.

 “Fine, meet me in five.” I smirk at him and turn the other way back to the quarters.

 

* * *

 

“Goodness sake.”

 My fingers comb through my hair, another sigh escaping from my mouth. Usually Shadowhunters use the gear created by the Iron Sisters made from material that could protect us from devil blood or venom, the gear is light and flexible for battle but us younger generations tend to use our daily clothes to mission. Only bringing our belt gear to stuck our stele and seraph blades to.

 After putting on and off any dark leathery jacket I own, finally I settle down on the dark maroon one Magnus gave me last month. I glimpse my hair on the mirror, debating for a second whether or not to change the color or not. But on a second thought, I stick with black.

 “You ready?”

 I glance to the door, which is left ajar and now Sebastian sticks his head through it. He is wearing his usual mission all black clothes. Black body fit t-shirt, tight black jeans and combat boots. “You might want to put on some heat.” He continues.

 “Heat rune or heat spell?” I ask on our way to the weapon room. Before he could even choose an option, I continue, “heat rune it is.”

 As soon as we reach the room, we put our hands on the fingerprint scanner opening the door lock. The London Institute is one of the oldest and biggest institute in the world. So it is no surprise that the weapon room is more than decently stocked. One side is where the pull out racks of seraph blade are. Another side is where the primary weapons are. Primary weapon is optional.

 “Don’t forget this.”

I look away from the seraph blades just in time to catch the staff hurling towards my face. I glare at him as I sheath my staff to a loop on my belt. Like I said, primary weapon is optional. Mine is a collapsible staff, when I break it apart, adamas based blade will spout out of the ends. On the other hand, Sebastian depends only on the seraph blades. And his strength. And his agility.

 “Do we need witchligth?” I ask as I crouch down beside the boxes of witchlights. “If its really dark we don’t need a witchlight. I could just…” I point to my hair. He gives a small adoring smile and I slip on of the witchlight to his his hand.

 “Its been too long since I saw it.”

 I frown and quirk up a mocking smile, “really? I took down my glamour last week when we were—“

 “There you are!!” A voice comes from where the door is, causing us to snap our gaze towards it. Reinhart Blackthorn, a 19-years-old brunette Shadowhunter who make up our team. His quick wit always gets him literally everywhere. Although we said that its his surname doing but oh well. Unlike Sebastian, he was one of the very few people who welcome me into the rank. He has half faeries cousins he said. That and I was the one who introduced him to his hero, Tessa Gray. But that’s for another story.

 His eyes scan over me and then, “you might want to put on some heat.”

 I rolled my eyes before handing my stele over to Reinhart, on the other side Sebastian is ready to activate my _iratze_ anytime. When I was first discovered as half Shadowhunter half Warlock, the first matter to be discussed is Marks. There is only one other person like me in the world and she couldn’t bare Marks. Turns out I could but there is a consequence. While drawing new Marks give the other icy burn feeling, for me it feels like someone actually cut my skin open.

 Slowly and steadily Reinhart place the tip of the stele onto my right forearm and steadily glides it. A gasp escapes my mouth as the stinging and piercing pain spreads. It is gone as fast as it appears. Sebastian slides the stele over the healing rune as soon as the heat rune is completed.

 “Its okay its okay, you alright?” Sebastian slowly rubs a small circle on my back.

 I exhale heavily and nod. “Okay. Let’s go.”

 

* * *

 

“Remind me again how a behemoth decides to raid a store in the heart of London?”

 “It doesn’t matter how it did it, what matters now is how we stop it”

 “With this.” I swing my seraph blade around.

 “Hey hey stop it you could kill someone.” Sebastian catches my wrist mid air. Well, he is right. Even though we are well glamoured and invisible to the mundane’s eyes, swinging the blade around would kill them if one is not careful.

 “Okay, with this.” I raise my blue-flamed hand in front of their faces.

 “Save your magic for portal.” Reinhart said as he adjusts his jacket, the light caught on the knives inside causing it to glim. “I prefer to not walk back after fighting with a blob of slime.”

 “Who has a series of sharp teeth.” I murmur, clutching my staff on my hand. “Here we go.”

 With a back-to-back formation, we creep into the store. The doors are not locked as the cops didn’t deem it as an active crime screen. The inside of the store is dark except the illuminating yellowish light from the club across the street. Our eyes scan over every crooks and corners of the room, when I catch a glimpse of something under one of the un-demolished shelves.

 I look at Sebastian who suddenly breaks the formation and starts moving towards it. “Careful Verlac, your girlfriend wouldn’t want you to be a snack.” Reinhart said some nervous laugh escaping him.

 Sebastian raises his witchlight and the light falls on a large slimy thing currently somehow swallowing a stack of pipes in whole. He steps back slowly as the very confirmed to be Behemoth realizes our presence.

 A Behemoth is known to be much larger than human size. It devours everything on its path. Including people. Its slimy glob like feature might seems harmless but the rows of teeth on each side of its body said otherwise. After swallowing the last pipe, the demon starts making its way towards us.

 Sebastian harden his grip on the seraph blade. Reinhart takes his throwing knives on both hand. I break my staff apart and the blades come out. The demon screeches and leaps towards us. We break to different directions, each trying to find a weak spot. Knife after knife plunges into the demon while slashes after slashes littered its body. Harming but not lethal enough to kill it.

 Its slimy feature is easy to harm to but its large size is not easy get closer to. The only choice is to attack from the front where the teeth are not there. Our strategy is to injure it until Sebastian find a weak spot to kill it. I gradually blast small fires to it, not able to conjure a bigger one for fear of burning the place down.

 “Damn it!” they curse as the demon lunges between them causing them to jump back and dropping the witchlight. As it shatters to the ground, the light slowly dims away before plunging us into darkness. I frantically look around slowly taking out my stele to activate the night vision rune. But before I could do it, the demon makes its way around again.

 “Something must distract it! I can’t see anything here!” I hear Sebastian shouts between the grunts and the howl of the demon. I put my staff away and takes out my seraph blade. Reinhart does the same too.

 “To hell with it.” I inhale deeply before peeling away the glamour spell. Slowly light starts to invade the room and by the time its bright enough, we jump from our places and sink our seraph blade to the demon.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

I lay down under the sheet, with my mind pondering the event last night. I snap into attention when the nightstand vibrates slightly. It takes me a moment to navigate my way out of the tangled sheets without alerting the figure sleeping beside me. My phone is at an alarming distance from the edge and the vibration make it worst.

Snatching it in hurry, an irritated sigh escapes me. From the course of time since last night until just a minute ago, Magnus has managed to leave me: 20 voice mails, 42 texts,5 face time attempt, and a Snapchat message; how he did the last one I don’t even know. His question varies from questions about the mission, how the mission goes, and the fact that he knows I got a new rune.

The last one will sounds very creepy, if I don’t remember about ‘ _the bond_ ’. Its not actually a real bond like the _parabatai_ bond. Magnus pretty much just put a very complex spell on me that will let him know that I’m in danger or pain. Unlike the _parabatai,_ he could not feel any other things beside those two.

While I am answering each of every question, a rustling sound comes from my back. As a Shadowhunter, Sebastian is the most agile, stealth and strong (as far as I know). But sleeping, he is a restless sleeper. Once he somehow managed to move around the bed clockwise. I scout over closer as he rubs his eyes.

“Hey,” I lean to his touch on the back of my neck. “Morning.”

“Morning to you too,” he kisses me briefly before getting off the bed.

The sheet slides down his back, baffle I throw him his crumpled t-shirt. “Clothes on, soldier.” I, myself roll out of the bed, fully clothed (thanks the magic). While he rummages around the room for bits of his clothing, I busy myself choosing a hair color.

“Decide anything yet?” he said pulling a sweatshirt over his head. I nod and settle myself down with a light brown-gold highlighted hair. Pity I can’t change the style. I step pass him to snatch a red-wine leather jacket sling on the back of a chair. Magnus tend to give me leather jackets in any color I possibly want. Except black. Too Shadowhunter-y he said.

 

* * *

 

 

The dining hall in the institute reminds me awfully of cafeterias in high-schools. Only smaller. During breakfast and lunch its not really packed, due to some mentors choosing to eat in their own quarters. The hall has a table that use to be called The Ascenders Spot. But due to the Mortal Cup being gone, well no more mundane.

Sometimes I wish that there are still ascenders. That way at least, I could have someone to talk to about the recent mundane world hot topics or pop culture or everything else that the born-Shadowhunter somehow didn’t know about. Like right now I suddenly have an urge to talk about the fact that we could survive Hunger Games. Not that I want to be in it though.

The moment we enter the hall; Reinhart abruptly stands up from inhaling his breakfast. Sebastian directly change his course to the hungry Blackthorn, leaving me to do the duty of taking his food. Although not really a duty though; more like a thing that I had to do if I want my team to keep going. One glance at their table and I already know what Reinhart took.

“Here you go boys.” I lay the stack of plates down. At the academy we were first taught that the perfect breakfast is lean protein, light carbs and absolutely not caffeine. But oh well, count this as a bonus day; which is in fact, everyday. At least I took a bit of everything. If I leave it to them, they would just make a tower of pancake and dump syrup on it. Lots of syrup.

Between bites of apple, Reinhart asks, “So have you two done your report?”. My spoon stops half way before clattering down to the bowl. I stare warily, it may not be the first time he tried to fool us. “What?” he said after a few moments of my glowering doubting gaze. “Don’t blame me if Tori have your head.”

Then he slaps an inch tick worth of papers down on the table, rattling the cup beside it. “Please tell me that’s for all of us.” I flip through it and feel my eyes widen when I see the content. Its hand-written! That’s the other thing I don’t like from the Shadowhunter’ life. No technology! Or even electricity in some cases. Although now most of our work is using technologies but some rooms are still powered by witchlights. Like the library and the training room.

I said that and I quote the Codex, ‘Witchlight is often used for atmospheric effect’. Really sometimes they are all about the aesthetics. The dining hall itself is illuminated with gaslight, that gives a yellowish tint around the room. “I hope she doesn’t mind my typed report.” Sebastian mumble but it reaches my ears.

“You’ve done it?!” I meant what is it with these Shadowhunter and doing report overnight. Smiling sheepishly, he whispers an apology. I huff but suddenly an idea strikes me. More like the magic saying ‘hey im here’. “You know what,” I smile slyly towards them who by now is clearly waiting for whatever un-Shadowhunterly thing I will do. Planning to do. “Ever heard of film?”

Reinhart rolls his eyes and give me an annoyed look, “We are not that savage.” I chuckle to add up his annoyance. I snap my finger and a slightly advance spell book appeared in the middle of the table. I flip through it gently before finding the section I need and turning the book to show the content to the two curious Shadowhunter.

“Do you ever hear about a greater demon that want memory as a payment for summoning him?” I ask and they nod slowly, not sure of what exactly I am talking about, “so a part of the spell he use takes a part of our memory, projecting it before us and the he suck it in.” I smirk mischievously to them. “I’m going to make a hell of a report.”

Before they could register what I just said, I leap of the chair and run off to my room with them at my heels, finally realizing my idea of doing a report.

 

* * *

 

 

“You seriously did that?”

I smile proudly in which resulted with Reinhart nearly face palming, with the wall. Between the three of us (and Aline but she is currently at the Shanghai Institute), Reinhart is no doubt the sanest one. Not sure if that’s a Blackthorn thing or it’s the fact that his father, Arthur Blackthorn, is an ex-Head of Institute. Maybe he just picks up the serious and leadership demeanor.

Rhexenor Imenarete Blackthorn. His father has a thing (or an obsession) over Greek mythology and latins script. Sebastian said he got Reinhart as a nickname from ignoring the ‘Xenor’; moving some alphabet from its places; throwing some and thus come ‘Reinhart’. Yes, it doesn’t make any sense. I know.

But anyway, here we are submitting our report from the mission last night. I showed up in front of the Tori’s office before the other did. Its not a custom to call your Head of Institute with their nickname, in this case she insists. “So, where is your report?” Reinhart asked, eyeing me warily. I tap my temple and wink before stepping into the room.

“Look who decide to show up, the peculiar team of London Institute.” Tori stands in front of her mahogany table, her hips leaning on the edge of it. That nickname has stick with us since I show up. “Hand me those lovely reports,” she continued.

Sebastian hands his report to Reinhart who then put it down on the waiting hand of Tori’s. After skimming through the both stacks of paper, she gazes at me skeptically and sighs. “You know Starknight, I accept typed report. I’m not Arthur Blackthorn.” Tori circles her table and sits down. “Show me your report, Natalia. However, you done it.”

I eagerly lower myself down on a carver chair at one of the ends of the table. Sebastian raises one eyebrow up and I grin at him. He agrees of course he does. If he doesn’t I would kick his ass all over the training room. It happened once, believe me. I lean back shuffling a little to find the most comfortable position.

Exhaling slowly, I start chanting the spell softly, barely a whisper. I’ve to admit this is my first attempt. And I don’t think Magnus ever attempt this kind of…….thing. I think I should have ask Magnus first. A slight tug in the air in front of me alert me that the spell is starting to work.

This is good. This is probably going to be the best report ever. A laugh is going to escape out of me but it died down as the tugging grows stronger. Without thinking of it I know something is wrong. My mouth falls open in a silent scream trying to give a sign. What if everything seems okay outside?

I gasp and it all goes black as a sharp pain shoot through the back of my head.

Magnus’ gonna kill me.

 

 

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

A bell is ringing

In my ears

A huge bell is ringing in my ears

Oh wait no….my ears ARE ringing

My hand flies over to shield my eyes from the incoming blinding light. With a groan, I crack my eyes open slowly. The first thing I catch is a pair of heads hovering above me. One blonde and one dark with purple spikes on the top.

“Glad to have you back.” Magnus said and I could feel the sarcasm dripping. Not that he’s not glad I’m back (of course). He is mad with the reason I gone away. He stands at the end of my bed, arms cross, and a frown glued to his face. Talking to a frowning Magnus is the same as trying to cuddle a hungry lion.

“How did you--,” I pause to choose the right word, covering it with a nervous gulp. “How did you come here?”

He lazily points at Sebastian, “Your blondie over here calls me as if the hell break loose and somehow convince Rosewood to give me portal access.” Then he whispers something sounds like ‘im impressed’. I nod to him and change my attention to my two team mates.

“Who between you two, hit me?” I asked after feeling a lump at the back of my head. Right on cue, they simultaneously look at each other, guilt painted all over their face. “S’kay, I won’t kill you. Or turn you to a frog. And kill you.”

Comically, Reinhart raise his hand slowly and smile sheepishly. When all eyes in the room turn to him and (in Magnus case) try to stare him down, he said, “I had to! That or she….i don’t know.” He suddenly tugs on Magnus’ sleeve. “What happened if I didn’t stop it?”

“Well for instance, great pain, memory loss, permanent memory loss and brain dead.” Magnus said eloquently like he is reciting a cake recipe. “Messing with magic like that will have its own price, sweetheart.”

“Magic like that? Like what?” I asked after finally getting on both of my feet by leaning a bit of my weight to Sebastian.

Magnus gives annoyed look to Sebastian and Reinhart before waving them away, “Out you two, its Warlock business.” They both hesitated but I nod and they walk out.

I sit myself down in front of my vanity, absentmindedly picking on my knick knacks. Magnus stretches out on my bed. “There are two types of dark magic,” he starts, “real dark magic and stupid unintended dark magic. The later are mostly done by mundanes who thought that they could do some experiment. Now, the memory spell thing you done is one of the stupid dark magic but can cause serious harm.”

I raise my eyebrow admitting that I’m quite surprised by it. From his facial expression only, I could interpret the question looming in his mind. I sigh, nervously tracing my sure-footed rune and said, “I got the book from the Shadow Market.” Then I hurriedly add, “Not the one in Los Angeles, there’s one near here sometimes.”

“Its one of our patrol night, we are not supposed to go all the way to the Market but it’s a slow night so I dragged Reinhart there. We got separated somehow, I think Reinhart got distracted by a dancing djinn so I snuck into a Warlock’ booth and grabbed a few things.”

“What few things?”

“The book, obviously. A protection bracelet, empty potion vials, a liquefied silver and magically color changing nail polish. I regret the bracelet because its useless, I only buy the vials and put mixed glitter in it for the aesthetic.” Magnus perked up at the word ‘glitter’. I continued, “The silver is for Reinhart’s father and the nail polish well you know I have a thing for nail polishes.”

“Oh Amelia,” he suddenly strode towards me and push my face to his chest in a rather bone breaking hug, “You need more lesson in Warlock’ magic.”

My door opens slightly; Sebastian sticks his head inside. “Uhmm sorry to interrupt but ah someone’s here to see you.” He glimpses at Magnus for awhile before softly close the door shut.

“Off you go before the witch furiously descend down here.”

“Said the man with a sky high level of magic.” I smirk.

I walk away to the door, glancing back before walking out, “Don’t mess with my room.”

 

* * *

 

We are not going to Victoria’s office so that means I’m not meeting her. Instead we go to the direction of the ops center. The ops center is where all our sensors are, also one or two police radio in order to let us know if there is anything suspiciously supernatural in a mundane crime. I stroll my way through the crowd of bustling Shadowhunters. At night, is the busiest time of the ops center. A grin breaks out on my face as I spot a very familiar dark-haired girl.

“Oh my God, Aline!” I rush towards her and snatch her into a hug. “Why don’t you tell us you are back?”

She smooths her messy bun and casually high-fiving the two guys. “My business in Shanghai was unusually cut short. And I decide that in the remaining of time nothing could entertain me there.”

I laugh, slinging my arm around her shoulder. “How ‘bout we cool some steam off? My fingers are twitching.” To show my point, I twist my fingers a little and blue spark appears on the tip of it. Aline smirks, linking her arm through mine before dragging me to the training room.  

 

* * *

 

The institute is known to be described as castle like. The interior itself could be quite confusing for guests and newcomers alike. If you look up to the ceiling, you will find it disappearing in the shadows. That’s practically how large and tall the institute is. Which is why its pretty confusing for me on the placement of the training room.

The training room is found in the attic. Like the dining room, it is lit with gaslights. Under the control of Arthur Blackthorn, all of the rooms were lit with gaslight and no electric source could be found. But, after he stepped down, Victoria gain access to electricity, leaving only the dining room, training room, and the basement untouched. For the sake of history, they said. 

With it being in the attic and the source of light the gaslights, the room always give me an eerie, damp, and ill-spirited feels. The changing rooms however to my relief were fully modernised. So at least, I don’t have to go naked in the dark.

I walk out of the changing room in a tight grey tank top and training pants, my staff sitting on my shoulders. Sebastian is up on one of the raised beam, his feet dangling from the edge while coolly flipping a blunt wooden sword. Reinhart is sitting cross-legged on one of the less crowded granite island. Once Aline emerge from the changing room, Sebastian leaps down the beam, gracefully landing on a crouch.

I lean my staff against the corner of the room and grab a wooden staff from where the rest of the training weapons are resting. Shadowhunters are trained to use all kind of weapons. The four of us, in the mean time, have a tradition. We start of each of our training session with our individual skill. Then, we will fight each other with any short-ranged weapon. But today, we skip the individual skill, being too bored.

We take our own spot on the middle of the room, our body half relax half rigid on anticipation. I smirk at Reinhart who has a smug look slapped on his face. My right hand rest on my side, gripping the sword while my left hand splayed open in front of me.

“You know, many young Shadowhunter wanted to train in London Institute.” I paused purposely to increase the effect. “Because only here, you could train with a Warlock everyday.” Right at the end of the sentence, I thrust my palm upward, blowing thin smoke around us. As per instinct, Aline chooses to strike towards me, leaving the two boys to each other.

During one of my first fight strategy lesson, my tutor taught to me to eliminate the small threat(s) than handle the biggest. In that way, you could focus on the biggest one without being nagged by the smaller ones. At least, that strategy implies if you are facing an army of demons. If there is only one of it, then just go for it.

I back away methodically, at the same time blocking any incoming blows. Reinhart and Sebastian seems to be ignoring us on the other side of the room. The sound of their swords hitting has an odd relaxing and practiced rhythm. After all, they had trained together ever since they could walk (or so I think). I just start training like three years ago and Aline spent most of her childhood in the Shanghai institute.

My eyes only rest on the two boys for a millisecond when on the corner of it, I catch the blur of sword rushing towards my right arm. In a split second of panic, a spell appears in my mind and my left hand thrust towards it, promptly petrifying it mid-air.

“Hey! That’s cheating!” Aline shouts but a hint of laugh forming on her mouth.

I cocked my head to the side, smirking. “There is never a fair battle, Al.”

As soon as I take off the spell, Al swing her sword, landing a blow on my torso. I stagger back clumsily, opening a chance for her to flip me to my back. I groan but quickly snatch my staff that clatter a few inch from me. I spin it (taking care not to hit my own head), the other end of it colliding with the back of her knee.

I pull myself up and quickly poise my staff on a way that in real life if it’s a with a real demon, I would have able to snap its neck. But at the same time I feel the tip of her wooden blade on my hips. I sigh and take a step back, weapon down.

“And we both dead.” Aline put her weapons away, “How’s going on—“ she pause, eyes wide. I follow her gaze towards the two boys that somehow I forgot the existence here.

“—there…..” she continues.

Sebastian and Reinhart both are breathing hard. Now, their places are the one that make the situation, if read differently, compromising. Sebastian sprawls on the floor, his blade on Reinhart’s neck. While the residence Blackthorn, is sitting on Sebastian’s torso, somehow. His short-sword also on the others neck.

“Hold this.” I pass my staff to Aline, who dumbfounded just take it. I crept slowly towards them and in a blink of an eye, I snap my finger. Petrifying them just like what I did to Aline’s sword. This is pretty much the first spell Magnus taught me.

He said and I quote, “If you feel overwhelmed and just want everything to stop, use this one. Or if someone is hella annoying.”

I take their picture from the angle where Reinhart’s back is facing. From this angle no one can see their blades, putting an entire different situation. I remove the spell, laughing hard Aline and I nearly doubled over.

Reinhart is the first one to realize what had happened. “Natalia!!!!” he throws his blade aside, it skidding across the floor. He rushes over to me but Sebastian beat him to it. He catches me around my waist, tackling us both to the ground. I am face down to the floor so I flip myself to my back. I could probably hear both Aline and Reinhart snickering as Sebastian pin my hands above my head.

“Surrender to the authority of the Clave—“ I start giggling as he said that.

“Or what, Glass Lake?” I grin up to him, technically when said in a certain way ‘Verlac’ translated into Glass and Lake. I try to kneed him to no avail. Okay, gonna try another way. “Sebastian.” I paused, “Look at me.”

He blinks and frowns a little, I quickly kneed him and flip our position over. In a sheer of excitement, I focus all my body for my physical strength, forgetting a piece of magic that needed attention all the time. Slowly, the glamour over my Warlock mark is peeled away. Light brown turns to white. Not an elderly white hair white, more like a dim witchlight white. If I use my magic like really serious, it could actually produce some light from it.

“Oh you play dirty on me.” Sebastian said, voice barely above a whisper.

“Not what he said last night….” Reinhart said stifling a laugh, somehow he could hear it.

“What?” I whisper back to him.

“You know I could barely function my body let alone my brain when I see a beauty like you before me.”

I stop moving completely. When I first came here, Sebastian was one of the few people who were against the fact that a half breed of demon is somehow a Shadowhunter. Gradually though, he started to accept my existence. How do we end up together? Well six months into my time as a Shadowhunter, he started to actually know me. Then one day in a training session the day after my magic bought us some time from a pack of Hellhound that wander into the London Zoo, he kissed me.

That was also the first time I took off my glamour. That’s the first time I wear my Warlock mark as a Shadowhunter. I said its because of a hidden affection. Magnus said its because he was bewitched with my mark.

“Don’t try to distract me, Sebastian.”

I scramble to my phone, hitting the send button almost instantly. Four phones beeps simultaneously. Did the photo really travel that fast? But I don’t send it to myself?

“Emergency meeting in ops-center.” Aline said before hurriedly goes for the door.

Well, that explain it.  

 

 

 

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

Victoria is standing on the wide landing of the ops center. The room is filled to the corners. Not only the residents of the institute but the whole London Enclave are present. Even down to the ghost of the institute. Jessamine Lovelace. Not many Shadowhunter could see ghost. Warlocks supposedly could see ghost, sometimes. But I think right now she is really trying because I could see her in the first glance.

“What’s going on?” I cautiously whisper to her. She is standing near one of the pillars so I casually lean on it.

“I don’t know. Something big, I assume,” she said sounding half curious half bored.

“You don’t know?’ I asked, one of my eyebrow raising in surprise. As the ward (who could be anywhere she likes) Jessamine always know everything that’s going on.

Before she answers back, Victoria starts to speak as the noise slowly died down. Jessamine disappears, probably going to another corner of the room. At the same time, Sebastian arrives replacing Jessamine.

“A female Warlock was found dead an hour ago. The body was washed up from the Thames under the Tower Bridge.” Victoria said in a calm steady voice. A death of a Downworlder usually is handled by the highest ranking of each group. But in our case, the High Warlock of London is in, hiding. And we Warlocks haven’t appointed the replacement. So any problems will be send directly to the Enclave.

I glance down briefly when something grazes the back of my hand. Slowly Sebastian’s hand finds its way through my fingers, intertwining with each other’s before he gives me a gentle squeeze. No matter how long I have been a Warlock, he knows how sensitive this case for me.

After a decent pause, she continues again. “The body show signs of torture but no traces of magic. Our first suspect is that this is the work of a personal hatred or may the Angel prevent it, a rogue Shadowhunter who still can’t move on from the Gold Age. Either way, in order to find the killer and to prevent anymore victim, the amount of patrol will be doubled and there will be more area covered.”

“The patrol schedule will be distributed shortly. Dismissed.”

The crowd disperse and we start making our way to the elevator after spotting Reinhart and Aline. “Victoria wants us at her office in five.” Aline said as soon as we edge near them.

Of course she does.

 

* * *

 

Exactly five minutes later, we huddle in Victoria’s office. Lately, I’ve been in there too much for my liking. Habitually, we stand in front of her table in two rows. Aline and I at the front and the boys behind us. I look around the room awkwardly before finally Victoria enter the room.

“I want you to be the main team of this case,” she said as soon as she sits down.

After a few moments of awkward silence, which I think annoyed her for no response, she continues. “I understand that in the meeting I said every Shadowhunter will be working on this case. But I want the four of you to lead it. In case you don’t notice you have the advantage of a Warlock.” Her voice show hesitation at the end of the sentence.

We nod silently. Trying to secretly throw glances at each other reaction.

“Here’s the file of the case. You can find more of it and about the body in our system. You’re dismisses for now.” Reinhart takes the file and leads our way out.

“Do you want me to portal us to the ballroom or we just walk?” I asked once we are all outside. My hand gently starting to weave in motion and the spell already nagging in my head. A simple portal (no permission required) only bring us to another room in a building. Or maybe a short location. If you live in the London Institute, it really comes in handy.

Reinhart shakes his head, glancing back. “I think we need the walking besides you should save your magic for the patrol.”

“Right.”

 

* * *

 

The ballroom of the London Institute is said to be the most grant among all of the other institutes. Always used for the Christmas celebration, which is unique because not all institutes celebrate Christmas. On a very very rare occasion its used for welcoming party for new Shadowhunters, when the Mortal Cup is still available though. For almost a twenty years they said, its gone.

Due to its stranded condition, the ballroom becomes a perfect spot for relaxing, fooling around. You could say its our secret spot. And even the ballroom has a smaller room which we think no one had come upon to. One night we left a bottle of wine and it left untouched for a week. Double secrecy.

“So, what time are we going to start our patrol?” Sebastian finally asked Reinhart who has been staring at scrolling on his phone for the past five minutes. Aline sits on a stack of chairs behind Sebastian, whose hair she has been playing absentmindedly. I lay on my back while turning the lights color every minute. I’m just starting on the shades of green when Reinhart abruptly raises from his cross-leg position.

“Remind me to have a word with whoever did the data input in this institute. Really they put together all the schedule in one sheet and didn’t even bother sorting out the teams.”  He sighs, running a hand through his hair.

“Reinhart, your Arthur Blackthorn is showing,” Aline said smirking. When under stress sometimes Reinhart will show more of his father than usual.  I notice Jessamine lurking around the corner of the room. Hope that she won’t said anything about the secret back room to anyone. “Nevermind with that, Blackthorn. Now, when is our turn to barrel down to the Thames?”

“On the Thames, its not like we are plunging inside to search for more evidence.” I laughed as Reinhart once again peer back to his phone screen. “You could have screenshot it you know.” I point out.

“Here let me—“ my hand stretches out, going to snatch the phone out of his hand.

“I know how to screenshot!” Reinhart half-snapped at me.

“Okay, geez.” My hands shoot up in mock surrender. I inch away from his slightly, turning to give Sebastian an amused look. Aline peer over Reinhart’s shoulder, glancing quickly on the screen.

“Ah yeah we start at sundown,” she mumbled

“Which means what? We don’t have a fix schedule? Or its just a figure of speech? Or do we really have to wait until the sunset everyday? As far as I know, the sun doesn’t set at the exact same time everyday” I turn to Sebastian who is also my person to go incase I don’t know something.

“It means we go when its dark, sweetheart.” Sebastian reaches over Aline’s head to ruffle my hair. A thing he always does every-time he is a little bit annoyed with me. Also because we are not really fond of the lovey dovey name calling, we only use ‘sweetheart’ or ‘honey’ or ‘babe’ if we are irritated, annoyed, mad at each other. Weird? Yeah. We love being weird.

“I need to do pre-mission briefing. Let’s gear up.” Reinhart said, all serious mode on. He walks out of the ballroom with Sebastian following suit, only stopping for planting a quick peck on my cheek.

Aline sighs, turning to look at me. “I have so much to tell you.”

“Me too.”

 

* * *

 

Each time one of us went off somewhere and came back, we always get some free time to do a catch up. When I say ‘us’ its just me or Aline, both Reinhart and Sebastian never go anywhere. Well, Sebastian did have two-three years of his childhood in Paris but that doesn’t count. So when we do the catching up, Aline and I usually left off the details for ourselves. Because believe me, the boys never care for the girly details.

So I snatch my gear from where it hangs on the inside of my wardrobe door. Wearing gear is optional but seeing that we don’t know what we are facing, its better to be more prepared. I sling it over my shoulder with my weapon belt dangling limp on my arm and my staff grip on my other hand. Aline’s room is only five doors away so its fairly a short walk.

I knock softly on the door and push it open after Aline shouted, “Come in!”.

She is sitting on the floor, polishing her collections of blades. Her gear is neatly laid out on her bed and her hair is in a messy bun. I throw down my gear beside hers and join her down on the floor. She tosses me an extra rag and a bottle of this special polishing liquid thing. I lower myself down on the floor facing her.

I place my staff across my lap and then pulling each end to the opposite direction, breaking it into two. I put aside a part on the floor and take the other one. With a flick of my wrist, the double-sided _adamas_ blade spurt out of one end. I frown down at its ichor stained state.

“Ew!” Aline crunch her nose in disgust, “You should have clean that right after the mission.”

“That’s impossible.” I smirk and cast her a knowing look, “Not when your dear cousin trapped me under him.” Aline’s eyebrows shoot up, half confuse half surprise.

“On my bed.”

With a hilariously audible gasp, Aline fling her rags towards me and I duck it by a millisecond. “I wish to not hear about my cousin sexual life.”

I grin at her, “For such an elegant and agile Shadowhunter, do you know that he is clumsy in bed?” by the end of the sentence I struggle to suppress my laugh.

“God, no!” she groans.

“Do you know he rotates when he sleeps?”

“Actually I do,” she answers instantly. My head perks up and she giggle before continuing, “when we were just children we used to be put on a same bed. I used to kick him awake when he did that. In my defense, he is my cousin.”

“Well in my defense, the first thing Magnus told me is about his birthplace, Indonesia and the fact that in some places and cultures they still practice the marriage between cousins thing.” I shudder visibly on the thought.

Silence falls between us and we stare at each other before bursting out laughing. Realizing what kind of random thing we just talked about. Our laughter died down as we remember the task on our hand. Cleaning weapons, make sure it works, gear up, before Reinhart comes barreling down on us. We complete our work with the weapons and proceed to change into the gear.

“So how’s Shanghai?”

“Same old same old. My mom is fussing about everything. Apparently there had been a case involving a death mundane. A farmer mistaken a Drevak for a wild animal, tried to get it off his lawn and well lets just say the farmer didn’t have a basic demon treatment kit.”

“Drevak often used by Greater Demons or Warlocks as spies but such an activity should have alert the sensors.” I slip on my weapon belt, tightening it around my hipbone.

“We thought of a possibility that it could be a summoning goes wrong.” Aline sheaths her blades each to her side. “I heard you went to New York for the weekend. Any party Magnus threw?”

I roll my eyes but smile anyway, “he always throws a party. The highlight of it, he thought I was hitting on the second in command of the New York vampire clan.” 

“What’s his name?” She asks from the open-door bathroom.

“Raphael. Fortunately, he is clearly not interested. Even rejected a plasma over the duty of upholding the good name of his clan.” I said making a quotation mark on the word ‘upholding’.

“Interesting name for a Night Children.”

“Could make a good Shadowhunter with that name I said.” Although actually I did not really say that, would earn me a fang through my vein if I did. Or maybe just a smack. Depends on who I said that to.

“Come let’s go.” Aline stroll out of the room with me following suit.

 

* * *

 

We go straight to the weapon room knowing that the other will be waiting for us there. Turns out yes we are right. Reinhart is crouching near the boxes of witchlight while Sebastian is lining seraph blades on a table at the center of the room.

“I’ve name all of them,” he said as soon as we enter the room.

I sigh, “You know I love to name them by myself.” I put my hands on the edge of the table and push my body up. I wait until they have taken at least one of it. I always take the last one, don’t know why.

I flip it on my hand before reading the the scribble on the piece of paper attach to it. “Raphael…” I mumble under my breath, “The irony.”

“What?” Sebastian glances at me.

“Nothing.” I jump off the table to snatch a witchlight from Reinhart’s offering hand.

“So what’s the plan, Captain?”

We crowd around the table on which a map of London is spread out. Some red pins are use to pin point the territory borders of our patrol. Eventually we are going to sweep across the city but for tonight we’ll be just doing the Thames.

“We drive directly to the Tower Bridge and scout out the area where the body was found. As soon as we are there activate your night vision rune and heat vision rune, see if you can find any traces left behind. Victoria said that there is a possibility this could be a job of a rogue Shadowhunter. Have your weapon in ready, sometimes the killer like to go back to his scene.”

“Why there’s no team assign here?” I point to the spot on the map where the Shadow Market is located. Three pair of eyes snap on attention to me. One with a warning look and the rest confused.

“Shadowhunter are not suppose to go there.” Reinhart answered seriously but a hint of smile on the corner of his lips.

“Send me in, I could throw Magnus’ name anytime. No one will hurt me.”

“Last time I check, even Magnus banded you from going there.”

“Are we missing something?” Aline gesture to both her and Sebastian.

“No.” Reinhart and I said at the same time.

Reinhart sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. Sometimes he acts so much like his father. He just doesn’t want to admit it. “Alright, if there is no traffic we could be there in no time. But just incase, let’s go.”

“Last one in the car stinks like a shax!” We rush out the room and clamber down the stairs before bursting out to the lawn.

Sometimes we don’t forget that we are just teenagers

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

“Ew!”

Aline crunches her nose for the third time and here I am thinking that Shadowhunters are fine with dirt and smell, or in this case, blood and the rotten smell of dead body. Guess I’m wrong. We can stand it but doesn’t meant we don’t complain. Its still rather fascinating for me to see difference between the mundane world and the shadow world. We are under the Tower Bridge at a concealed crime scene. Above us at the bridge, the mundanes are having their life as normal as it is.

Sometimes I wonder how does it feel to be completely unknown of a presence that is lingering in every corner. When I wasn’t a Shadowhunter-Warlock, the shadow world wasn’t really concealed to me. So mine can’t be count as a normal mundane life.

“What do we got here?” Reinhart voice snap me out of my thoughts.

Sebastian who has been crouching down at the place where the body was found, glances up and gives me a look which means its my time to talk. Ever since I made a weird addition to their team, I am always the breathing and walking mundane encyclopedia.

My eyes sweep across the scene one more time before making my way to a two set of footprints imprints all the way to the steep slope that will open up to the road leading up to the bridge.

“Judging from the amount of blood left, the victim wasn’t killed here and this,” I point to the footprints, “increase the possibility that she had been carried all the way down, probably by two people judging by the amount of the set.”

“Carried?” Aline said frowning at the muddy slope.

“Yes, however impossible the field is for someone to carry a body without dropping it, the lack of drag marks on the ground proof it.” I shine my witchlight along the slope, “No way.”

Reinhart, Sebastian and Aline huddle around me curiously. “What is it?” Aline said before she finally processes what I found confusing.

“There is no drag mark on the side of the hill.” I move the light closer.

Aline quickly takes some picture of it to support any evidence we can get. “The autopsy report claimed no sign of demonic or any magical traces which throw off the idea of this being the work of any Downworlder. Which means…” her voice trails off as we all come to a painful realization.

“Which means, either some mundane are trying to re-enact the witch hunt or it’s a work of a Shadowhunter.” Reinhart finishes his sentence with a grim look on his face.

 

* * *

 

Long time ago, before the first accord was signed, it was usual for Shadowhunters to hunt Downworlders for sport. Even after the first accord was signed, some Shadowhunters still believe that the accord is basically, _bullshit_. For example, the Circle. So it doesn’t cover the possibility that someone might want to try it again.

I look around the car, trying to get a glimpse of what everyone is thinking through their face. Reinhart is the easiest. He has a thinking face, which when his eyes narrow down and his mouth is set to a grim line. Aline never the one who has that much of an expression, but we could how she feels from her eyes. For those close to her, she is the example of the saying, ‘The eyes are the window to the soul’ or something.

I sink down an inch on my seat, before glancing at Sebastian who’s the gripping the wheel like his life depends on it. The first thing I learned when I start joining them is that, anything that cause the Shadowhunter to look bad among the Shadow World is instantly a very serious mood crushing thing. I thought I am the one who suppose to be feeling down. After all, one of my people has been murdered.

As soon as we arrive at the institute, we check on what we have on the case so far. If we got something concrete, then we could report back to Victoria. But I don’t think she will be happy with what we have. Telling her our conclusion with so little evidence, could turn the table and makes us the guilty one.

“Okay so, what lead do we have?” Reinhart throws in the ultimate question.

“Either than the trails and the fact that we are going to accuse our rank of an unforgivable crime, no we have nothing.” I cross my arms on my chest, huffing.

“That is lead, but I think its better coming from me or Reinhart,” Aline looks at me apologetically. “Those old fashioned Shadowhunters are going to see you as Warlock who daringly blame the Shadowhunter.”

“So what do you think, Rein?” Sebastian said while secretly stealing glances at me.

“I’ll try delivering this in the best way possible to Victoria. Aline you’re going to help me. Sebastian go around to the other teams, ask what they have and Nat, could you please brush some of your Warlocks contact? See if they know something.”

“Sure.” I trail off before turning the way to my room. I could hear footsteps following me and without turning around I know who does it belongs to.

“Hey, listen I could go with you wherever you are going to meet your Warlocks contacts.” Sebastian said falling in steps with me.

I scoff, “I’m going to the Shadow Market.” I smirk as I hear Sebastian letting out dejected “oh”.

“Look, I’m calling Magnus, if anything I will be safer with him. The Market people are not really welcoming to Shadowhunter. I’ll cover up my runes and leave my weapons behind,” I kiss the corner of his mouth. “I’ll be fine don’t worry.”

I exhale a breath I didn’t realize holding. I am not going to call Magnus. This is the matter of the London Institute. I meant I’m part Warlock, I’ve been there once and they didn’t even notice I’m a Shadowhunter too. Well, I’m not entirely lying to Sebastian, I am going to leave my weapons behind. Except my stele.

Dressing up as a Warlock is relatively easier than a Shadowhunter. We are not expected to engage in combat so we could throw on whatever we want. In ten minutes, I’m heading out of the institute. Only pausing for a second to check if my stele is still in my pocket. It’s nearly half past ten, the Market must be packed right now. The London Bridge has a few cars passing on it, I quickly decent the stairs and walk casually towards the glamoured Market. Just as I pass through, Reinhart messaged me notifying the ID of the dead warlock.

Sometimes I wonder what the mundane see on the glamour. The Market is always full of life. This is somehow the only place Downworlders could come together in peace. With money involve, anyone could. I pass a Warlock’s stall selling charms and weird potions ingredients, a group of vampires selling spiked bags of blood, and the dancing djinn that amused Reinhart last time.

But none of those are my destination, for now. The person I am looking for is Hyptia Vex. The co-owner of this Market. I spot her talking to a witch, with multi-colored hair, placing a vial of something needle like. As soon as she is done with her business, I walk to her. “Ms Vex, do you have a minute?”

She turns around, racks her eyes over me, and snickers. “Which boy do you want me to bewitched?” she said rather rudely.

I clasp my hands behind my back, a move of habit I do to have my hands near my weapons. Only, I don’t have them right now. I put on my best smile (curtesy of lessons with Magnus) trying to appear harmless but serious. “I’m here for a business of the Clave.”

“You don’t look like a Shadowhunter to me.”

“I’m a Warlock, Ms Vex.”

Her eyes sweep over me once again, “My my, you are that infamous Shadowhunter-Warlock abomination.”

“I prefer the word breed.”

“Tell me, what could I possibly have that the Shadowhunter need?”

“Information, a warlock named Tya Xera.”

“And what will you give me in return?

“The Clave will be expecting your—“ and then she cut me off.

“I don’t want money.”

She steps closer to me, curiosity written all over her. “All Warlocks have a mark. I want it.”

Baffle, I say the first thing that comes to my mind, “Tessa Gray doesn’t.”

“No mark, no Tya Xera.” 

I sigh, “Find but not here.”

She leads me to her store, a small but not unnoticeable apothecary, where she also managed the Market from. Magnus said he used to have his own apothecary before being pointed as the High Warlock. I used to wonder how he fit his apothecary inside his loft, only I think it wasn’t quite like Vex’s. She directly approaches her counter and snatches something small and flashy from underneath it.

“Use this.” Vex forces a silver vial into my hand.

I conjure up a dull scissor from my bedside table. As it is only an inch away from my hair, I stop my hand and pull it down to my side. “No Tya Xera, no mark.” I smirk.

I stare at her until she gives up. Leaning back at a crumbling shelf, she starts talking. “Tya Xera came to London 4 months ago. Knowing that our High Warlock had gone ‘missing’, of course she settled down undetected. I personally don’t know a bit about her. Only that she hailed from Florida and was here looking for a new purpose. From the first time I saw her, I know she was young. Not even reaching her first century. She was here a week ago being all about her and arrogant. Saying that she found a very good deal, a place in the center of London and that she will have everything soon. Maybe she only got a job from a rich snobby man or something. Young Warlocks tend to do that sort of thing.”

Vex looks at me like she expects me to do the same thing. I take out my phone and type in the bits of pieces of the information. “Did she mention anything about the deal? A place maybe or what the job was?” I asked.

She gives me a sharp shake of her head.

“Thank you,” I revert back to my formal but at ease posture. “The Clave will notify you with the payment shortly.”

I turn back to head to the door but the sound of the lock clicking, stop me.

“You forgot something.”

Ah yes of course, my mark. “Very well.” I lower down my glamour, flooding the room with light. Taking a few strands of it, I cut off a few inches of the ends. The first time I cut my hair with my glamour off, I thought that the light would dim out. But it stays. The cut off ends goes directly into the waiting vial. Once, Aline joked that if I’m around, they won’t need a witchlight. I threatened to strangle her.

“Here you go,” I slid the vial across the counter. “Now we are even, even though I don’t have the faintest idea of why you need a Warlock mark.”

Potion? Maybe. It makes sense though as that my mark is one of the easiest one to retrieve. “For collection. It will show to all of the Downworld that I have overpowered the famous Warhunter.”

“Not exactly over-powered but oh well, whatever makes you happy to help.”

I walk out of the store to the bustling streets of the market. The later the busier. I slip into a deserted alley, take out my stele and activate both my agility and sure-footed rune. Making sure no one looking, I jump up and grab the side of a rooftop before hauling myself up. Opening a portal on a busy street is going to be quite messy. I haven’t master the art of opening long distances portal, but at least I could make the smaller range one.

The one I’m making now is directed to Fleet Street. As I emerge from the portal, I quickly make a call.

“Hey, yeah its everyone there? Good. I’ve got something.”


	9. Chapter 9

In the Shadow World, the rank of Shadowhunters is considered the highest of all. Well that’s at least what they told me. The greatest, the most feared and so on and on. But once I start joining for real missions and all, I realized that they lack a few things. To be fair most of the action contain only tracking, chasing, arresting or killing. What they don’t have is investigation skill where no demon or magic is involved. When the case is too mundane for the Shadowhunter but too shadow-y for the mundane cops, connection in the mundane world is desperately needed.

Only like now, we don’t have any Shadow World connection in the mundane world. So playing detective will be the only action we have. The Sensors didn’t pick up anything, the Downworlders leaders know nothing (surprisingly), and no runes or spell or anything could track down the last place she was at.

“You were saying, that the other teams got nothing besides her name?” Reinhart said, his voice seeping out from between the crack of the library doors. “What about her address? Any other Warlock friend? Any kind of friend?” By the time the last question rings out, I barely contain myself from bursting into the room laughing. Believe me, hearing Reinhart Blackthorn so desperate somehow humor me. And that’s maybe my Downworlder self speaking.

I close the door with a little bit more unnecessary force to announce my arrival. “Oh you’re back.” Reinhart said, or mumble in the most uninterested voice ever. My eyebrows shoot up at it. Okay, maybe a desperate Reinhart doesn’t really humor me.

“ ‘Oh you’re back’ okay I guess you don’t want to hear what I got.” I turn back to where I came from, “Come on Seb, I want a lunch in the Park.”

Innocently and confusedly, Sebastian asked, “Which park?”

“The Central Park.”

Reinhart makes a disgruntled sound and sighs, “Alright alright I’m sorry. What do you have for me?”

I hoist myself up the table and peer curiously, “My informant told me that the last time our victim was seen, she claimed to have a place in London. Fancy place probably by the way she mentioned it. Before going off the grid, Xera also claimed to have found a job that apparently provided her with everything she needs, including her residence. But the problem is she never mentioned anything about the people who hired her. And where her place was. London is a big city if you haven’t noticed.”

Reinhart let out a long breath and stares at the spread out map with some pins representing the teams on it. He closes his eyes for a moment and pinch the bridge of his nose, “Alright, I will bring this to Tori and at this moment the other teams had spread out pictures of Xera to see if anyone ever saw her.” 

Suddenly a rap comes from the doors of the library. The four of us simultaneously whip our head to the door. Bridget Daly, our faithful and longest housekeeper, stand with one hand on the knob. “Ms.Starknight, Mr. Bane is here to speak to you.”

I smile, even-though sometimes caught her sneering behind my back, “Thank you Agatha. I’m sure Mr. Bane won’t mind waiting. Would you be so kind to tell him, I still need to warp things here?” She grunts a respond and nod before turning away closing the door behind. I turn back to the others and briefly I catch Sebastian looking at me weirdly. “What?”

He shakes his head, as if trying to shrug himself off, “Nothing.”

I know exactly what he is thinking. He is thinking of why Magnus wants to talk to me now and not when he was with me at the Market. Well for starter, he wasn’t with me at the Market. But Sebastian doesn’t know that. “You know Magnus, he probably didn’t go home at all when I told him to, and he loves to make grant entrance. He probably followed me back here.”

Sebastian nods before adverting his attention to the files spread out on the table. Aline and Reinhart are focus on the map, perfectly dividing the teams and patrol area to the maximum efficiency. I was never really the strategist. My plan somehow always resolves around grant entrance and not so grant exit. “Is it okay if I go now?” I ask.

Reinhart wave his hand at my direction but didn’t look up from his task. Its not rude, not at all. Like I said, he is more like his father than he wants to admit. “Nah, you’ve done a great job. I will inform you of any progress.” He said.

“I’ll be in my room if you need me.” Sebastian kisses me briefly before going off. It’s a good thing he respect me talking privately with Magnus. I would hate to tell him off. I descent the stairs quickly and look around the ops center. Then, my eyes caught a sight that stands out so much, no one could miss it. In the sea of black getups, there stand Magnus in a shimmering silver jacket with loads and loads of buckles and tight black pants. He also has on him a thin chain necklace that other end attached to the pockets of the jacket.

He somehow has his un-amuse face on. I think I know what this is about. “What’s up?” I stand in front of him with a cheeky smile.

“What’s up is that you went to a place you are not suppose to be.”

“Really? Let me made you aware that we are swarming with a dead-end case of a dead Warlock. If I was somewhere else, that would be for the case.”

He scoffs, “The problem is that you went to the Shadow Market.”

How did he know that? Well to be fair, he is a very well-known Warlock. He has ears and eyes everywhere, or he was secretly there too, somehow. “And how could you be so certain?” I asked, sometimes I liked to pretend to be oblivious of everything when I’m talking to him. Always successful dragging out the frustration out of him.

“Let me present you exhibit A,” he slid his phone out and tap and scroll for a few seconds. With a frown, I take the phone from his hand. And there’s on the screen, a picture of me slipping into a stranded alley. I look at him bewilder and he continues, “For the record I wasn’t there.”

“Exhibit A tells otherwise,” I hand back the phone. “I’m not even going to ask who you asked to stalk me.”

“I have infinite resources,” he said. “What did you pull off to get them to let you go to the Market?”

Now, the only thing I always contemplate with when I lie about something, is whether or not I rope others in. First its starts easy with one person, then suddenly a million other people follow it. Even without me trying. “Easy, two words.”

“Really? You don’t magically hypnotize them or something? Although I don’t recall teaching you any of that.”

 I roll my eyes and sigh, “Look, I told them I asked you to meet me there. So, I’m begging you Magnus, please just play on with this story.” I said with a hushed tone.

“Didn’t they have a truth rune or something?”

“Sword. Just, don’t forget it or ‘forget’ it,” I make an air-quote when I said forget the second time.

“Hmm, an air-quote. Fine I won’t forget about it. Do you need a pinky promise?” he holds up his left pinky. I slap his hand away only to bring a smirk to his face. “I need to go back to Pandemonium, a warlock is planning a very magical party for his 500th birthday. So magical its concerning.”

I nod quickly and after another short reminder before he goes home, I walk back to the library. It’s empty and the maps, papers, and notes we used earlier are now stack neatly in one corner of the table. I go to the row of book shelves and begin exploring it. I’m glad that, the London Institute’ library, have an extensive amount of books. Both in Shadow World collections and mundane’s. What’s more from libraries like this is that they actually have first copy of some 18th and 19th century literature.

After this long ass tiring day, I settle on ‘Emma’. It’s a little lighter than the others for me right now. There are initials in scripted to it, as usual. Seeing something as old and valuable like this always succeed in giving me a sense of optimism. If a bounded stack of papers can survive hundreds of years and made a mark on the world, then I can too.

I start the first page, as I walk to the quarters, my fingers tracing the stiffness of the paper. I open the bedroom door, take my boots off and pad quietly in and quickly ditch my clothes for an over-sized grey t-shirt. I slowly slip under the cover, stopping when he mumbles something incoherently in his sleep.

“What do you have there?” Sebastian open his eyes slightly, now turning to his side.

“Emma.”

“Hmm read it.” He unconsciously snuggles into my side.

“I don’t think you like regency romance.”

“I just want to hear your voice.”

I’m stopping myself from asking if he is okay or drunk. I flip back to the first page while my free hand starts gently playing with his hair.

“Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her. She was the youngest--“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The excerpts taken from the book 'Emma' by the author Jane Austen belongs to Jane Austen and Jane Austen only.


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